Repeat SARS-CoV-2 testing after recovery. Is a pretransplant PCR necessary?

Abstract

The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 and the clinical syndrome of COVID19 resulted in a major decrease in transplant volumes during the first months of the pandemic followed by a change in practice, with strict screening and SARS-CoV-2 PCR testing prior to transplant. Protocols required a negative SARS-CoV-2 PCR prior to proceeding with transplantation. Many transplants were delayed nationwide due to persistent positive PCRs in asymptomatic patients, sometimes for months (1).